[ RadSafe ] NJ hosts hearing on study of radiation in baby teeth

[Gerald Nicholls]

The AP headline regarding this meeting is misleading.  The Commission on
Radiation Protection, the rulemaking body for radiation protection
regulations in New Jersey was intially contacted by Ms. Edith Gbur,
President of Jersey Shore Nuclear Watch, an anti-nuclear group.  Ms.
Gbur requested that she and Mr. Joseph Mangano of the Tooth Fairy
Project be allowed to address the Commission regarding what they believe
to be a link between the operation of nuclear power plants, particularly
the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in New Jersey, and childhood
cancer.  The Commission is a public body with members appointed by the
governor and holds 10 to 12 month meetings during the year.  Commission
members include a radiologist, a medical physicist, a health physicist
and state employees representing the the departments of Environmental
Protection, Health and Senior Services and Commerce & Workforce
Development.  Because the Commission meetings are public, anyone may
attend the business portion of the meeting.

Just before the Commission meeting, Mr. Mangano asked if he could bring
a reporter.  Again, the response was in the affirmative because the
meetings are public. 

Those of us involved were somewhat surprised when representatives of
three television stations (Philadelphia and Trenton), a newspaper, and a
radio station  arrived to cover the meeting.  Our press office also
received calls from a New York television station, two additional radio
stations and the AP.

At the meeting, Ms. Gbur introduced Mr. Mangano who read testimony that
parallels the report in the AP article.  Following that, he yielded the
floor to a young man, about 14 years old, who stated that he was
diagnosed with cancer at the age of 19 months.  The young man who has a
severe hearing deficit due to chemotherapy, asked that Mr. Mangano's
research be supported.  The young man then yielded the floor to his
mother who stated that she was a nurse and also requested that Mr.
Mangano's research be supported.  To complete their presentation, Ms.
Gbur spoke on what she believes to be the link between childhood cancer
and nuclear power plant operation and, stated that the Oyster Creek
Nuclear Generating Station should be shut down.

Following the presentations there was discussion between the presenters
and Commission members.  Advice given to Mr. Mangano on his research
included the need for suitable controls, to have the laboratory that
performs the Sr-90 analyses on the baby teeth participate in an
accredited certification program that includes appropriate cross checks,
to evaluate the presence of other fission products in the environment
(particularly Cs-137), formatting of graphs so as to avoid the
appearance of bias, and to attempt to corroborate the levels of Sr-90
they believe they are seeing by considering possible source terms.

Mr. Mangano left copies of a number of reports and articles regarding
his research and the Commission agreed to review and respond to them.  
Interestingly, one of the reports is essentially a response to a letter
written by the Commission over a year ago pointing out what it believes
to be the weaknesses of Mr. Mangano's research.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the press coverage of the
Commission's eventual response to Mr. Mangano will as great as this
event.

Gerry

Original article clipped from Sandy Perle's post:

NJ hosts hearing on study of radiation in baby teeth

EWING, N.J. (AP) - Children who live near nuclear plants carry 
lifelong radioactive residue, according to a group that appealed for 
support Wednesday in a public hearing before the New Jersey 
Commission on Radiation Protection.

The nonprofit Radiation and Public Health Project, which has been 
conducting the "Tooth Fairy Project," examining the baby teeth of 
children who grow up near nuclear reactors, said the data may hold 
clues to stemming increases in childhood cancer.

The Tooth Fairy Project, begun in 1998, has collected more than 4,000 
baby teeth nationally - 600 in New Jersey - and examined them for 
evidence of Strontium-90, a radioactive byproduct of atomic reactions 
that lodges in bones and teeth.

The study, which is ongoing, has found that levels of the element 
were 30 to 50 percent higher among children living in counties with 
nuclear plants, according to Joseph J. Mangano, national coordinator 
of the Radiation and Public Health Project.

"In several areas, including Ocean and Monmouth counties, RPHP found 
that trends in Sr-90 in baby teeth were matched by similar trends in 
cancer diagnosed in children under age 10," he said.

Edith Gbur, a spokeswoman for Jersey Shore Nuclear Watch, said high 
cancer rates in some parts of New Jersey have not been explained by 
authorities.

"We need to demonstrate scientifically that the nuclear plant has 
harmed people, especially children," she said.

New Jersey has four nuclear power plants: Oyster Creek in Ocean 
County and Salem I and II and Hope Creek in Salem County.
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Gerald P. Nicholls
NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection
609-633-7964
gerald.nicholl at dep.state.nj.us